The state of Native representation in videogames

Authors

  • Thomas James Reed | Lukwe’tiyó, Oneida for “He is a Good Man” California State University, Long Beach image/svg+xml

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/ejcgc.v16i2.8460

Keywords:

Native representation in videogames, Native representation, videogames, Native American, American Indian, indigenous, decolonizing, indigeneity

Abstract

This commentary examines the state of Native representation in videogames from a Native perspective. Also, this commentary offers examples of Native Representation in Videogames from 1971 to 2025. Furthermore, I provide decolonizing and indigenizing examples of Natives in videogames. The paper also contains recommendations for further research and suggests good practices for videogame developers to facilitate design of positive Native representation as a decolonizing practice of indigeneity. This commentary closes with a call for positive representation, as seen in Never Alone (Upper One Games, 2014), the first videogame made by an indigenous-owned videogame studio.

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Published

2025-12-19

Issue

Section

Commentaries

How to Cite

Reed, T. J. (2025). The state of Native representation in videogames. Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, 16(2), 341–352. https://doi.org/10.7557/ejcgc.v16i2.8460